[mt-ac]

Just asked by a friend that likes WWI style machine guns, is there a semi-auto build for the Lewis machine gun? I've see Vickers, Max's Brownings, Stens, and so forth but don't recall ever seeing a Lewis. Any web site information would be appreciated.

 

[OldSoldier]

Are there any Lewis parts kits out there?

 

[IMBLITZVT]

If you can find a Lewis parts kit, it would be WAY to valuable to convert into a semi. You are probably talking a 6-7K parts kit if one were to come up for sale. All WWI machine gun stuff is very expensive. If you are interested in making a semi from WWI, look into a Semi MG08/15. Still lots of parts but expensive. Maybe a MG08? There could be a few Vickers (True WWI) parts kit out there but they are very hard. Russian stuff is also very hard to find but you may be able to patch one together (Again, true WWI). Browning 1917 are super rare too.

The only WWI guns I have come up with is a MG08/15 and I am working on my MG08 (I about about half way there).

 

[Armorer]

Unlike the 1919A4 that has a riveted receiver, the Lewis receiver is one piece of fairly massive milled steel. I have not seen any demilled kits advertised but I imagine a cut receiver would be quite a project to reweld and remill. I think you would be looking at a completely new receiver. Then you are faced with the fact that the Lewis fires from an open bolt. The BATF won't approve an open bolt semi conversion so you would have to come up with a completely different firing mechanism. You can't get by just changing out the trigger mechanism. And remember BATF won't approve it if the internals are the same size as the full auto parts. That means milling a new bolt and having the receiver modified so that a FA bolt won't fit. This would be very difficult due to the design of the Lewis bolt and trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism of the Lewis is quite a distance from the bolt so any conversion such as a hammer fired gun would be complex. With all that said it is possible somebody could come up with a design. Even if a conversion could be designed and approved the parts for the Lewis have pretty much dried up years ago would make for a difficult project. There were DEWAT Lewis guns sold back in the 60's for about $30.00. Some have been converted back to FA by getting the proper permits from BATF and paying the $200.00 tax. And even if you converted a DEWAT to semi-auto it would still be considered a live machine gun by BATF. This would make no sense anyway since a live legal Lewis now sells for about $25,000.00 to $30,000.00

 

[IMBLITZVT]

So bottom line, Does you friend want a WWI machine gun or a gun that is like what they used in WWI... ie the Russian 1910 maxims you see mostly from WWII and same with Vickers...

Either way, I would look into a FA Lewis or look for something else... Sorry

 

[midwestmetal]

I have a parts kit for one with a spare cut receiver I can play with if needs be. When things quiet down with the rest of my semi business I plan on doing a semi conversion on it. I've had it awhile so I was waiting until I got my sot before starting on it so I would get it back from the ATF if not approved on the first go around.
If your friend has one tell him to hold onto it, it'll get used some day.
Dennis
Midwest Metal Creations LLC 07/02

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Dennis, do you have any pictures of your kit? I would love to see it. How did you come across it if you do not mind me asking?

 

[zoom6zoom]

Here's a Lewis Manual for you. About 8Mb .pdf

 

[kilroyjones]

I thought about a semi Lewis gun, but quickly realised the cost was to much for my budget.

One idea I have thought about is taking a semi-auto DP-28 and "mocking it up" into a Lewis gun. The DP has the overhead pan mag, just add a Lewis type barrel shroud and stock. I haven't researched it enough to even know if the DP and Lewis are close enough in size to pull this modification. I have seen images of the DP mag and it looks shorter in heigth than the Lewis mag. Maybe a dummy Lewis type housing built around a DP mag?

The 7.62x54R would be close enough to the .303 that most observers wouldn't notice the difference. The build would need to have alot of custom parts built, as Lewis parts are too rare to ruin. Maybe someday I will get around to studying this more...

 

[Colorado1919]

The Lewis mag holds 47rds in two rows one above the other. The DPs 47rds in a single row so it is much wider. And the Dp doesn't look anything like a Lewis. Even with a fake barrel jacket.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Yeah I think you would end up with a bad looking DP and what a waste...

These mock up guns never work... I personally think people should just get this idea out of their mind...

 

[Armorer]

The Lewis Mag must rotate in order to function and that involves a cam kind of like a belt fed gun and that is why it looks like a big gear so that the cam can engage the mag. It is also why the top part of the receiver in the back is so wide, to accommodate the movement of the cam. The DP mag is stationery and is spring loaded I believe.

 

[midwestmetal]

Here are a few pics of my lewis kit, a few years old as the kit now is greased up and stored away. It has two nice cuts behind the ejection port area. Kit has about 95% original finish, it is a Savage made gun in .303 with its original rigid field mount and looks to be an early Navy contract. Damn shame it is in kit form. Picked it up 4-5 years ago from a local collector. I have many spare bolts and carriers for it so the semi work can proceed without fear of damage to original parts.
Dennis

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Dennis, that is a hell of a kit! No overall pictures? Just close ups?

You can see its in really nice shape. If you do not mind me asking, what kind of price did you have to give for that?

Thanks for showing the pictures!

 

[midwestmetal]

I paid him 550 bucks for it, that's all he wanted for it. I helped him with odds and ends around his shop and helped him clean it out a bit after he was no longer able to do so himself so he gave me a sweat-heart deal. It sat in a glass case for the last 30 years before I got it. That's all of the pics I could find of it, had to pull thm off my old computer in storage.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Well if you ever feel like making some good profit... please let me know! Thats a hell of a deal you got!

 

[autofire]

Ok guys I know this thread is from 2008 but what are Lewis kits going for today if someone should have one? Any info you have is greatly appreciated.

 

[dkennedy]

Autofire,

A kit sold at auction earlier in 2013 for nearly $9k as I recall. They are very rare to say the least. Most of the component parts can be found, barrels, gas pistons, bolts, springs, and butt stock assemblies, but the shroud and the radiator are quite rare it seems.

I have a live C&R gun, and have the small parts I need to keep it running for a few generations. That said, if I could ever find a parts kit, I would snap it up, assuming it was 90% of the cost of my live gun.

 

[bmg17a1]

The price noted for Lewis LMGs earlier in this thread might apply for a lucky seller of a 99% Savage,USN marked .30 gun, with excellent US .30 drums,or even a similar condition Savage aircraft Lewis, etc but good shooter grade BSA guns are in the $10-13K range and there a lots of them.
Stay off the auction sites if you want to pay in the $2500-3500 range for a BSA Lewis kit since several have been on the market in that range in the last couple of years, one of which I bought.
One of the mildly annoying foibles of posts on these sites is that posters only note the most extreme examples of prices, high or low, for all sorts of items, possibly to brag about their cheap purchase or I suppose to cover their frustration that they can't afford something. I don't know, but it thoroughly skews the perspective on the markets for things. Just saying......

Bob Naess

 

[gunrunner99]

If you stumble across a good deal on a lewis kit please keep me in mind.